The Internet has facilitated the ability of millions of computer users to post and view still photographs and video images across essentially unlimited distances for many different purposes, such as retail shopping, second-hand sales, general informational exchange, and the like. Further enhancing this capability is the advent of Internet-connected mobile devices, such as, for example, smart phones, Internet-enabled personal digital assistants (PDAs), and tablet computers, which now allow users to access this visual information without being located at a stationary computer system.
An overwhelming majority of Internet-related imagery employed for shopping, sales, and other activities involves the use of one or more isolated two-dimensional images to provide the user with at least a basic view of a physical item or location of interest. Recently, various parties have begun providing sets of related images that present more realistic views of the item or location of interest by way of images taken from multiple angles relative to the item or location.
For example, some websites provide examples of panoramic views of favorite indoor or outdoor locations. These views are often accomplished by way of “stitching” together multiple photo images taken at various orientations from a stationary location to yield a 360-degree view of the surrounding area. A user viewing such a photograph may then control the current viewing orientation by way of a mouse or a set of directional buttons.
Some websites may provide a set of images of a particular item, such as a product for sale, that provide a view of the item from a variety of angles or vantage points. In some cases, these images are taken using a stationary camera while the object rests on a turntable that is rotated through a series of angles. The photographs may then be presented to the user over the Internet as a series of related images through which the user may scan, again by way of a mouse or a set of directional buttons.